Gladly for billions of cricket fans in this country, it was Team India who emerged on top of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands ground in Cape Town.

Midway through the second session of Day 2, Shreyas Iyer lofted Marco Jansen to the long-on boundary to hit the winning runs as India reached 80 for 3 to win by 7 wickets.

A Test series victory on South African soil remained elusive for the Indians, but at least they had the satisfaction of sharing honours in the 2-match series.

It was the shortest ever match played in the 147-year history of Test cricket. The match lasted 642 balls, or 107 overs!

The previous record was a 656-ball Test between Australia and South Africa, played in 1932 at Melbourne.

“I didn’t imagine this Test would end so fast.. I’ve never played such a short Test in my career,” said joint Man-of-the-Series Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah was India’s hero on Thursday, as he matched fellow-pacer Mohammed Siraj’s Day 1 effort of 6/15 with a haul of 6/61 in the second innings.

The Proteas, having conceded a 98-run lead after collapsing to 55 all out, managed to put up 176 on the board in second innings thanks to Aiden Markram’s brilliant century (106 off 103 balls, 17×4, 2×6).

India went all guns blazing and knocked up the target in just 12 overs.

Brief scores

South Africa 55 all out in 23.2 overs & 176 all out in 36.5 overs (Aiden Markram 106; Jasprit Bumrah 6/61, Mukesh Kumar 2/56).

India 153 all out in 34.5 overs & 80/3 in 12 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 28).

Result: India won by 7 wickets.

Series result: 1-1

Man of the Match: Md Siraj

Men of the Series: J Bumrah & Dean Elgar.

That the 50-overs-a-side match lasted just 44.1 overs tells the story of India’s total dominance.

India, fielding a second-string side, found four heroes. Fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh (5/37) and Avesh Khan (4/27) first scythed through the South African batting line-up, before debutant opener Sai Sudharshan (55 not out) and Shreyas Iyer (52) easily chased down the 117-run target.

Opting to bat first, South Africa ran into a red-hot Arshdeep. The left-arm seamer, who hadn’t taken a single wicket in three previous ODIs, grabbed two in his very first over on Sunday. He castled Reeza Hendricks and had Rassie van der Dussen leg-before wicket for ducks.

A partnership looked to be developing, before Arshdeep sent back Tony de Zorzi and Heinrich Klaasen.

There was no respite for the Proteas as Avesh then came into the picture and bagged four victims to register his best figures as well.

India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad in the fifth over, but Sudharshan and Iyer hit classy half-centuries to coast to victory with more than 33 overs to spare.

Brief scores: South Africa 116 all out in 27.3 overs (Andile Phehlukwayo 33; Arshdeep Singh 5/37, Avesh Khan 4/27). India 117/2 in 16.4 overs (Sai Sudharshan 55 not out, Shreyas Iyer 52).

Result: India won by 8 wickets.

Man of the Match: Arshdeep Singh

Next game: 2nd ODI at Gqeberha on Dec 19.